Frequently Asked Questions: Food Processors

General questions about Advantage

  1. Do the programs cover abattoirs and other meat processing plants? What about dairy plants? Or Fruit and vegetable processors? Other commodities?
  2. How does the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ relate to or fit in with regulations?

Questions about implementing Advantage

  1. How costly are Advantage GMP, Advantage HACCP, and Advantage HACCP Plus to implement?
  2. Could a small business with less than 10 employees implement the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs ™?
  3. Will facilities be required to implement HACCP?
  4. Does OMAFRA have a staffed helpline (phone, email) for the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™?
  5. How long will it take to implement an Advantage food safety program?

Questions about Advantage certification

  1. How much will it cost to get Advantage certified?
  2. How will you ensure consistency and fairness with a third party system for recognition?
  3. Will OMAFRA list facilities certified under Advantage on its web site?
  4. Can my facility get Advantage certification outside OMAFRA and the certification body?
  5. What happens if there is a food poisoning incident involving a plant certified under Advantage GMP,HACCP or HACCP Plus?

General questions about Advantage


Q1 Do the programs cover abattoirs and other meat processing plants? What about dairy plants? Fruit and vegetable processors? Other commodities?
A1 Yes, the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ apply to all food processing facilities. It does not matter what commodity you process or the regulations some commodities might have to meet.

Q2 How does the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ relate to or fit in with Ontario regulations?
A2 Advantage programs complement current food safety regulations. They do not replace these regulations. Facilities must comply with applicable food safety regulations whether or not they adopt any Advantage program(s).


Questions about implementing Advantage

Q1 How costly are Advantage GMP, Advantage HACCP, and Advantage HACCP Plus to implement?
A1 Through extensive research, stakeholder discussions, and in-plant testing, OMAFRA has developed an approach to HACCP that:

  • is feasible and practical for Ontario's small and medium-sized facilities to implement
  • will maximize food safety.

There are many factors that will affect the cost of a program. It depends on the extent of the changes you will need to make, based on such factors as:

  • the condition of your facility
  • the number of products or processes
  • the degree to which your facility already meets Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirements.

Just remember: there may be costs associated with implementing HACCP, but a well-designed and implemented HACCP system can actually help decrease costs in certain areas. For example, your operation can identify product flow bottlenecks. You can monitor efficient use of sanitation chemicals. And, your employees will be trained to identify potential problems before they occur.

Q2 Could a small business with less than 10 employees implement the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs ™?
A2 Yes. The programs were developed to be feasible for even very small facilities. Small facilities may need to be extra careful when doing a gap and cost-benefit analysis before deciding to implement an Advantage program. It's important to ensure your expectations are realistic.

Q3 Will facilities be required to implement HACCP?
A3 No, facilities are not required to implement HACCP. The Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ has been developed as a voluntary program. It will be up to individual facilities to assess whether the benefits of implementing the program will make it economically feasible to do so.

Q4 Does OMAFRA have a staffed helpline (phone, email) for the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™?
A4 Yes. OMAFRA has established an email address: advantage@ontario.ca
and a toll-free helpline: 1 877 424-1300

Q5 How long will it take to implement an Advantage food safety program?
A5 The time required to implement an Advantage program will depend on:

  • the condition of your facility
  • how well you are already meeting GMP and HACCP requirements.
    Some facilities will have extensive food safety systems in place and few facility upgrades to make. Others may require more substantial preparations. These facilities will require more time to implement Advantage. Generally, the implementation period ranges from eight to eighteen months.

Questions about Advantage certification

Q1 How much will it cost to get Advantage certified?
A1 There is a fee for certification from the auditing body. For more information, please contact 1 877 424-1300 or email advantage@ontario.ca.

Q2 How will you ensure consistency and fairness with a third party system for certification or recognition?
A2 To ensure consistency and fairness:

  • Audit criteria have been put in place.
  • Auditors have been trained in Advantage GMP, HACCP and HACCP Plus standards.
  • The auditing body has put in place an established auditor accreditation process.
  • The Board is under the oversight of Standards Council of Canada..

Q3 Will OMAFRA list facilities certified under Advantage on its web site?
A3 Yes, OMAFRA posts certified facilities after their certification status has been confirmed.

Q4 Can my facility get Advantage certification outside OMAFRA and the certification body?
A4 No. Other HACCP audit and service providers can be an excellent resource. They can even provide valuable information regarding a HACCP system. But Advantage programs will be officially certified only through the authorized certification body. This ensures a level of consistency, transparency and government oversight for the auditing process that will prove valuable to the program as a whole.

Q5 What happens if there is a food -related illness / incident involving a plant certified under Advantage GMP, HACCP or HACCP Plus?
A5 During a certification or surveillance audit, a review of the food safety program will take place. But those results reflect the circumstances that existed only at a single point in time - the day of the audit. The continued maintenance of the food safety program is the responsibility of the plant operator. When you implement Advantage food safety programs, you take control of food safety. Any food-related illnesses from products developed by the plant that take place following the audit are still the responsibility of the facility to follow-up with and take appropriate action


For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: advantage@ontario.ca


Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 15 March 2009
Last Reviewed: 15 June 2011